The Los Angeles Lakers wasted an excellent opportunity to take a 2-0 series lead. They also wasted a great game and all around effort by Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.

The officiating has been horrible and the officials have been way too much of a factor in both games. I realize that the officials have a job to do, but the large number of fouls called has eliminated players from the game. Several of them have been Celtics flops. This is the NBA Finals and it would be nice if the players were allowed to play. The Lakers are professionals and they will make the necessary adjustments. How many times can the officials fall for the theatrics or the banana in the tailpipe?

The Lakers made way too many mistakes and ended the game with the worse five-minute stretch of basketball that I’ve seen in a while. They didn’t execute down the stretch and also had way too many turnovers. However, the turnovers were not the sole reason for the loss.

The Lakers were beaten because of their transition defense, not enough offense as well as playing the exact opposite of Game 1. Despite the unnecessary contribution of the officials, the squad was able to overcome the red-hot shooting of Jesus Shuttlesworth and get back into the game and take a 90-87 lead with a little more than five minutes to go.

This is normally the time that Kobe Bryant takes over the game and shows that he is the best closer in the game. However, that’s impossible when the trio of Kobe, Lamar and Ron are saddled with foul trouble.

We’re back with another giveaway for tonight’s all-important Game 3! Phiten is joining us once again to giveaway 3 more sets of titanium necklaces and bracelets tonight.

Disgustingly, a huge storyline in this series (for both teams) has been foul trouble. Game 1 saw 54 fouls called. Game 2 (shockingly) topped that with 58 fouls called. If you’re keeping score at home, that’s 112 fouls in 96 minutes of play – well over a foul per minute. Every impact player on both teams experienced foul trouble in either Game 1 or 2 (or both). Unfortunately, the whistles will likely play a role again tonight.

For your chance to win, predict the total number of fouls calledduring tonight’s Game 3 (6pm PT on ABC). Leave your predictions in the comments section below anytime before tip-off. The three (3) closest answers will win!

Don’t forget to check out all the great NBA products Phiten has to offer! If you see something you like, use promo code PLAYOFFS42 when you check out and your shipping is FREE!

UPDATE: It looks like Spero isn’t leaving afterall. TLN’s own Kam Pashai spoke with him after this report:

Just talked to Spero regarding reports that he’ll be working with CBS’s NFL team next season. To clear things up, Spero will only be doing a few regular season NFL games in September — that is before the NBA season begins in October. It won’t conflict with his Lakers broadcasting schedule. – Kam

Dedes hosted “NFL GameDay Morning” pregame coverage for NFL Network with Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp and others during the 2009 football season and joined the CBS Sports last December when he helped with its NCAA coverage.

The Boston Celtics did what they came to Los Angeles to do, and that was getting a split. As they say, the series doesn’t start until the other team wins, on your home court.

Well, the series has now begun…

David Brickley and Gregory Small went LIVE once again, and took calls from frustrated Lakers fans across the country!

Dennis Freeman from the California Crusader, Kurt Helin of NBC Sports, and Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld.com were at Staples Center, and joined the program to give their locker-room reports. Also, TLN analysts Jason Riley and Chris Manning check in to give their thoughts on game.

The Voice of the Nation will also be broadcasting LIVE, after Game 3 of the NBA Finals, giving you full post-game coverage, and taking your calls to discuss your thoughts on the game.

Congrats to Desiree, Taylor and Karen – who were the first three to correctly predict 39 total rebounds for the Lakers – for winning the Game 2 necklace and bracelet giveaway from our friends at Phiten! Thanks to everyone that participated! Check out all of Phiten’s great NBA products and use promo code PLAYOFFS42 when checking out to receive FREE shipping!

As for the rest of you, we have another chance for you to win! Follow The Lakers Nation on Twitter, where we will be giving away another set sometime between now and tip-off of Game 3 (Thursday, 6p PT).

While you’re at it, you might as well follow all of our talented staff members!

WHO: AM570 KLAC, your Lakers news and information station and flagship station for the FOX Sports Radio Network. For more information, please visit AM570Radio.com.

WHAT: As the Los Angeles Lakers look to defend their NBA Championship, AM570 KLAC and FOX Sports Radio would like to thank fans for their support of 33 years of Lakers news and information by offering them a free car wash at Studio City Hand Car Wash. Fans that arrive in Laker purple and yellow or say the famous line, “Feelin’ You!” of FOX Sports Radio radio personality Vic “The Brick” Jacobs, will be eligible for the free wash.

Never mind the officiating. As sad as it is that Phil Jackson plans to make adjustments according to how the referees are calling the game rather than making adjustments with only their opponents to consider, the Lakers allowed the Celtics to take this game from them. Yes, Boston blames their Game 1 loss on the referees and the Lakers can blame their loss tonight on the same source, but in the end if you want to win the game –YOU TAKE IT FROM YOUR OPPONENT.

The Celtics wanted to rebound from their loss and they didn’t just stroll into Staples Center and hope that maybe, possibly, the Lakers might have a bad game. They forced the Lakers to have a bad game, snatched home court advantage, and now take a win and some momentum back to Boston.

The Celtics learned from their first game loss and struck the Lakers first, taking a 29-22 lead to end the first quarter. Sharp-shooting Ray Allen, plagued by foul trouble in the last contest trying to guard Kobe Bryant, had 27 points by halftime, going 7-7 from downtown before his first miss. With Kevin Garnett in foul trouble, Paul Pierce unable to score, and Rajon Rondo aggressive in his playmaking more than his scoring, Allen took the offensive responsibility for the Celtics and beat mostly every Laker assigned to him to wide-open three-pointers from everywhere he cared to take one.

Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant, historically most effective against Allen, received the brunt of the calls guarding the the Celtics guard. Shannon Brown, left to take over with Fisher and Bryant in foul trouble, continuously left Allen all the space he needed to hit those quick shots. As much energy as Brown provides for the Lakers when he enters the game, his lack of decision-making acumen on both sides of the court leave much to be desired.

With Bryant playing through foul trouble all evening, the Lakers’ Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum were the driving force for the Lakers. Together they produced 46 points on 13-20 shooting, 14 rebounds, and 13 blocked shots. It’s just a real wonder how they only had 20 attempts collectively in the entire game. The Celtics’ defense can take partial credit for trying to keep the ball out of their hands, but it was the Lakers’ over-dribbling and inability to make decisions that cost them empty possessions.

As promised, we have another giveaway for you tonight! Phiten is back on board to giveaway 3 more sets of titanium necklaces and bracelets during tonight’s Game 2 vs. Boston.

In Game 1, the Lakers dominated the Celtics on the glass, 42-31. Going forward, we expect the battle of the boards to be a big storyline in this series. For your chance to win, predict the total number of rebounds the Lakers will grab during tonight’s Game 2 (5pm PT on ABC). Leave your predictions in the comments section below anytime before tip-off. The three (3) closest answers will win!

Don’t forget to check out all the great NBA products Phiten has to offer! If you see something you like, use promo code PLAYOFFS42 when you check out and your shipping is FREE!

To become the NBA championship team, you must eliminate four other teams – including one particularly imposing one at the end.

Aware that these Lakers have a history of not always using force when finesse might do, Phil Jackson has been splicing the movie “Inglourious Basterds” into basketball scouting footage throughout the postseason to reinforce the message about elimination.

One Laker, in particular, has taken to loudly quoting the movie for his teammates even outside the video room.

“We ain’t in the prisoner-takin’ business. We in the killin’-Nazi business. And cousin, business is a-boomin’.”

No, the Laker who is going around loud-mouthing about the boastful killing is Lamar Odom – the guy whose engine invariably stops and starts, the soulful clotheshorse, the court jester who started this postseason so slowly.

The one thing that seperates Kobe from anyone else is his intensive focus on the goal at hand – the championship. When one reporter asked Kobe his thoughts about LeBron, Kobe made it clear he just don’t give a (bleep).

NYPost: “You’re asking me if LeBron is going to New York?” Bryant told The Post. “I’m trying to tell you in a polite way, I don’t give a [bleep].

“As a fan, it’s a big deal,” Kobe added. “You’re talking about LeBron and Dwyane Wade, it’s two huge names changing cities. It alters things drastically in the NBA. But I really don’t care about it.”

Byron Scott, now an ESPN broadcaster, was standing with Bryant and cracked up.

“Why are people talking about LeBron anyway?” Scott said. “Let me tell you something. From me just knowing Kobe, he doesn’t give a [bleep] what everyone is talking about anyway.”

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With the Lakers off to a poor start, trade rumors have begun to swirl around Kobe Bryant, leading many to speculate if he'll leave for greener pastures. Kobe puts those rumors to rest in his interview with Yahoo Sports.